Psalm 103:1-13 (antiphon; v.8) – This week’s Psalm reminds us the
Lord is plenteous in mercy. Rich in it, quick in it, overflowing with it; and
so had he need to be or we should soon be consumed. He is God, and not man, or
our sins would soon drown his love; yet above the mountains of our sins the
floods of his mercy rise. From the hymn,
“Jesus Lover of My Soul” we read; "Plenteous
grace with thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin; Let the healing streams
abound, Make and keep me pure within."
Psalm 103 –
Bless the LORD O My Soul
This psalm is simply titled A Psalm of David. We don’t know the circumstances in which it was
written, but since David was a man who knew the grace and deliverance of God
many times, it could have been written at many different times of his life.
The LORD is
merciful and gracious. In the
previous lines, David described the righteousness and justice of God. Those
aspects of God’s character are true, but so also are His mercy and
graciousness. His anger comes, but slowly and after much mercy has been shown.
Abounding in
mercy. David’s statements remind us
of God’s revelation of Himself to Moses in Exodus 34: The LORD, the LORD God,
merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth
(Exodus 34:6).
He will not
always strive with us. These very
human terms point the contrast between God’s generosity and the heavy-handed
wrath of man, who loves to keep his quarrels going (chide [strive] translates a
term much used for disputes, especially at law) and to nurse his grievances.
He has not
dealt with us according to our sins.
David knew the slow anger and abounding mercy of God personally. He knew that
his sins (and the sins of his people) deserved much greater judgment or
discipline than they had received.
In our lessons for this week, God is the
sources of our being and doing. Our lives are to reflect the character of God.
In the Old Testament lesson, (Genesis
45:3-15) Joseph explains to his brothers that God used his adversity to
preserve life. Paul in the Epistle (1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30--42)
explains and describes the resurrection body, which God provides for us. In all
of these we see God as the source and ground of our being: His goodness prompts
our goodness, He uses our misfortunes to bless others, He gives us a new body
to dwell in a spiritual heaven.
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